March 7 (Bloomberg) -- General Electric Co. projects
revenue in regions such as Latin America will rise as much as 25
percent a year through 2016, outpacing growth of as much as 15
percent in Asian countries including China.

Faster-growing, resource-rich countries from Australia to
Peru and Mozambique may account for 50 percent of GE’s
industrial revenues by 2020, up from 37 percent of last year’s
approximately $94 billion of sales, the company said today in a
meeting with investors in Rio de Janeiro.

Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Immelt has retooled the
company in the past decade to focus on manufacturing businesses
led by energy, tapping rapid growth from new roads, airports and
hospitals in markets from China to Brazil. The outlook for
international growth suggests GE will meet its forecast for
industrial revenue growth this year.

“We’ve been building this company for what the world needs
today and tomorrow,” said Vice Chairman John Rice, who leads
the company’s global growth and operations. “You can debate a
quarter, a business, a country, but this stuff has to happen and
we’re going to be right in the middle of it.”

GE climbed 1.9 percent to $18.77 in New York, snapping
three straight days of declines. A gain this year of 4.8 percent
this year still trails an increase of 7.6 percent by the
Standard & Poor’s 500.

International Expansion

The international growth means GE will achieve its forecast
for 5 percent to 10 percent expansion in industrial revenue
minus the effect of acquisitions, according to C. Stephen Tusa,
a JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst who attended the conference.
Sales in GE’s industrial businesses may climb about 7 percent
even if developed economies don’t contribute any growth, he
wrote in a note to clients.

GE is focusing on international markets, with plans to
boost sales outside the U.S. to 65 percent of total industrial
revenue by 2020 from 59 percent now, the company said in a
presentation on its website. The International Monetary Fund
forecasts growth of 5.4 percent in developing countries this
year, compared with 1.2 percent in advanced economies.

GE sees $50 billion in opportunities in Latin America over
time in businesses from oil and gas to mining, biofuels and wind
energy, Reinaldo Garcia, head of GE’s operations in Latin
America, said at today’s meeting.

Industrial revenue excluding NBC Universal climbed to $6.6
billion in Latin America from $3.7 billion in 2006, Garcia said.
The Fairfield, Connecticut-based company sold a majority stake
in NBC to cable provider Comcast Corp. last year.

China Growth

GE can grow faster in countries including Brazil, Mexico
and Peru than in China because revenues in Latin America are
lower, Rice told reporters at the meeting. China is “still a
very attractive market for us,” he said.

China cut its 2012 economic growth target to 7.5 percent on
March 5, down from 8 percent over the past seven years, as the
European debt crisis and sluggish U.S. recovery crimp demand for
goods from the world’s largest exporter.

“That’s still very strong growth,” said Mark Hutchinson,
CEO of GE’s China operations. The country’s leaders will avoid a
“hard landing,” he said.

GE still predicts operating earnings growth of 10 percent
or more from its industrial and financial businesses, Rice said.
Profit margins will improve 0.5 percentage point in 2012, he
said.